Traffic deaths plunge in Texas

Published 12:04 am, Saturday, September 18, 2010

The traffic fatality rate for Texas has fallen to the lowest level since records first were kept 75 years ago, surprising even some transportation officials and safety advocates.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s latest data show Texas had 1.34 traffic deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, down 0.14 from the previous year. But that’s a substantial decline from the state’s 16.6 death rate per 100 million vehicle miles driven in 1935.

The findings are impressive, considering that far fewer vehicles were roaming the countryside in the 1930s.

Back then, the state averaged less than one vehicle per household; today, the population has more than quadrupled to 24.7 million, and some own so many vehicles that their driveways look like parking lots.

“I’m amazed how the death rate dropped so dramatically,” said Jim Cotton, spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation’s traffic division. “Especially since our state is so very large and people drive a lot of miles.”

Authorities credit the reduction in deaths to safer cars and roads, higher seat-belt use and public-awareness campaigns for driving safely. The weak economy also is believed to be a factor as drivers conserve gas by driving less.

An NHTSA study released this month made waves by reporting traffic deaths nationally had declined to 33,808, the lowest number since 1950. The figure represents 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, slightly lower than the Texas rate.

Texas counted 3,071 traffic fatalities for 2009, down 12 percent from the previous year. It was the lowest number of deaths recorded in 17 years.